


Some Things Are Meant To Be

by marsakat



Series: Broken People, we're here to fix you (hospital AU) [2]
Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hospital, Alternate Universe - Medical, Blow Jobs, Developing Relationship, Domestic, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Smut, First Time, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Happy Ending, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Long-Term Relationship(s), M/M, Medical, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-19
Updated: 2016-03-23
Packaged: 2018-05-27 14:52:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6288844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marsakat/pseuds/marsakat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Later he would laugh about how stressed out he was, since it had all worked out in the end.  But years later he realized that if the stars hadn’t aligned correctly and he hadn’t put in the effort, he would never have met the love of his life.<br/>---<br/>From childhood they both dreamed about saving lives.  This is the story of how they got there, and what happened along the way. (i.e. the fluffy one where Josh and Tyler are doctors).</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 1: Used To Play Pretend

**Author's Note:**

> Get ready for the fluff!

When Josh was 2 years old, his parents got a camcorder and taped the family all the time.  Vacations, Christmases, summer days spent running through the sprinkler; they figured it would be nice to look back on the memories when the kids were all grown up.  Not too long after the Christmas when Josh was 4, they asked him on camera what he wanted to be when he grew up.  Surrounded by his new toys, he looked up at the lens with a worried expression on his face, as if this pronouncement dictated the rest of his life.  He had a play stethoscope in his ears, as he absently whacked a toy drum.  Other objects from the ‘My First Doctor’s Kit’ littered the floor.

 “I dunno,” he said, “Maybe a cat doctor.”

 “What about a drummer?” His father asked, since Josh hadn’t let go of that drum since he’d opened it.

 “That too,” Josh said, and his parents laughed.

* * *

 

Tyler too had a similar video from when he was a little older and had covered his brother in bandaids.  

“Mommy, I’m going to help people when I’m older!”

* * *

Everyone always jokes about being a pre-med music major to appear well-rounded in your medical school applications, but honestly Tyler was the only person he himself knew to do it.  To be honest, he didn’t really have much of a social life as an undergraduate—too busy studying in the library or in the practice rooms exercising his stress out through banging on the keys of the old piano.  He did go out and have fun with his roommates sometimes, but Tyler had a goal and a plan and way too much to study (Chromatic Harmony and Organic Chemistry in one semester? Seriously?)

* * *

Josh did the usual—biology and premed.  He was used to everyone laughing how all freshmen start off as bio/premed and switched out by the end of Biology I, or Gen Chem, or Orgo.  But he made it through those and all the other requirements with good grades (compared to the 48 point curve, but he hid his exam results from the competitive students in his lab class that would probably sabotage his work in order to stop him from wrecking the curve). 

Josh did marching band in his spare time, and found his community through long practices in the summer heat (he totally passed out during band camp sophomore year, and that was punk rock, okay?) and then shivering in the stands trying to keep warm while hitting his drums as hard as he could while the student section sat nearly empty because it had started to snow.  They went on trips to other universities and colleges, had ridiculous ragers (Josh only went out once, maybe twice a week.  He refused to let his academics completely ruin his undergraduate experience, but he also had a plan and a dream) that ended in splashing drunk through the fountain, everyone making out, or climbing on top of the library. 

But, medical school was very difficult, and it seemed like everyone was competing to see who would sleep the least. Josh figured that he would be able to cope with balancing his studies, health, and social life since he was able to graduate magna cum laude, and he did the balancing act very well in undergraduate.  But being the best and the brightest in a school where they only had the best and the brightest, meant that he was studying till his eyes bled, attending every lecture and study session he could find, and ignoring everything else that wasn’t directly related to surviving medical school. 

They always say to marry whoever managed to stay with you through med school, and Josh’s boyfriend only made it halfway through second year.  He was sad since this was his first _real_ relationship, but it’s not worth the time to cry.  There are other things down the road.  Any other time he’d gotten dumped, Josh would drum until his palms bled, but this time he had an exam to study for, and he turned back to his books.

* * *

 

For Tyler, med school was about the same amount of effort as undergraduate.  He was used to isolating himself when he needed to buckle down and get work done.  What he was most worried about was what residency did he want to do?  General surgery was fascinating, but he did not find the operating room to be his castle.  He enjoyed talking with patients and seeing the rawness in their lives, and doing what he could to patch it back up.  His hands were too ‘soft’ for orthopedics, he cried when he saw sick children, and he didn’t want to be a stereotypical gay man, but gynecology was not for him. 

It was like coming home the first time he stepped into the emergency room affiliated with his medical school.  He never thought himself an adrenaline junkie, but the not-knowing of what’s coming through the door next was exciting.  As a very particular person, he liked being the one to draw order out of the chaos.  Shouting directions, or following directions, he liked being in a team in a trauma case, but also able to sit down with an adorable little old lady and explain antibiotics to her.

 His first choice for EM residency was a top hospital with many opportunities and a very patient-centered focus.  Tyler agonized for weeks on his interview—before and after—especially since they assessed his bedside manner very closely.  Tyler stopped eating in the days leading up to Match Day because every bit of food near his mouth barely even made it down to his stomach before he was retching it back up.  A friend took pity on him, and though Tyler was never one to take someone else’s pills, this was the only exception and he popped a Xanax.  He finally managed to sleep and then eat some Taco Bell after.

 Later he would laugh about how stressed out he was, since it had all worked out in the end.  But years later he realized that if the stars hadn’t aligned correctly and he hadn’t put in the effort, he would never have met the love of his life.  So Tyler got the EM residency at his dream hospital, and Tyler prepared himself for what was sure to be the hardest four years of his life.

* * *

If you were to ask Josh what his favorite part of the body (no, gross, not a dirty question, but that’s what medical people ask.  What organ do you love? What interests you and you could spend your whole life studying it and fixing it?), he would answer “the heart” without hesitation.  Maybe it was the beat, even though Josh didn’t play his drums anymore, but he always credited being a drummer with his love of cardiology.  The heart terrified people, but it really was quite simple.  Electricity stimulated specific muscle fibers to contract, and the blood flowed in a specific path, and when that was wrong, it was all about getting back to that good rhythm.  And Josh had great rhythm.

 Unfortunately, you cannot just start off in cardiology.  Three years in internal medicine residency, and then a fellowship from there.  The hospital he matched with had a great cardiology department, and he hoped to impress them enough during the first three years, that he would spend the three years of fellowship right where he established his roots. 

 The intern year—first year of residency—is the hardest.   You’re literally the bitch of everyone in the department.  Thirty hour shifts, overnights, always on call, and bullying from the attending, seniors, and mean nurses.  That’s just how it is, shrugs the older residents, commiserating, but they survived it too, so why not you.  Josh sees the other first years fall apart—their lives already had been spent working hard behind their books and now they are putting everything to practice and every day they felt like a failure.

 He lives in fear of his pager, and it feels like it never stops going off when he’s on call.  And as annoyed as he can be, he refuses to be rude to the nurses that call him at three AM, or that page him five times in a row.  He’s had conversations with the nurses he works with regularly about how they dread when certain people are on call because it feels like you are inconveniencing them.

“But that’s not how it should be!” He remarked one day to a fairly young nurse who was close to tears after no one returned her page for a very sick patient and a screaming family, “These are our patients as well and if we’re a team, it should be no bother to us to do anything for them.”

Josh knew he was a favorite of the nurses because of this, and they often would buy him cookies and lunch.  His fellow interns would ask how the hell he managed to be the sweetheart of the med-surg floors, and he just shrugged and told them to answer pages and smile more. 

“I think most of the young nurses want to marry you, and possible half of the older ones too,” said a surgical resident, Ashley, who was rotating through medicine for a couple weeks.  She had heard about Dr. Dun from some of the other residents, and was impressed by his gentle manner and also quick mind.

“I’m not big into departmentcest.  Conflict of interest. Also not really into women,” Josh replied through a mouthful of cookies.  They were sitting in a conference room, and it was two AM.  They had just gotten done placing a triple lumen catheter in an HIV patient with terrible venous access, and Josh was starving. 

“What about another department?  We just had this ER resident rotate for a month with us.  Pretty sure he was gay, and he was so nice!”  She stole an Oreo from him, and Josh pouted.

He was pretty sure he met all of the first year residents at some function or another, but June and July felt like ages ago, and all the faces blurred for him.  It had been weeks and weeks of meeting many different people, memorizing cases, and trying to get a wink of sleep in between shifts.  He barely had time to call his family, and only occasionally went out with the residents (the nurses kept begging him to hang out with them, but there wasn’t even time to grab a quick drink after 7pm since he’d be back in the hospital at 5am).

“Josh, he has arm tattoos, too!” Ashley exclaimed, and Josh was surprised, since most doctors either didn’t have tattoos, or hid them in places that wouldn’t be obvious.  Josh had swirling colors and a tree on his arm, which stopped right below his wrist and jacket line.  Hidden usually, but patients noticed it from time to time.  Sometimes he would get funny looks from older patients, but others would show him their old tattoos from the Navy.

“His name is Tyler Joseph” Josh still couldn’t place a face to this doctor, and he was pretty sure he hadn’t even hear the name before.  The ER people usually kept to themselves when they were not on rotation, whereas the medical and surgical and orthopedic residents went all over the hospital.

“I’m rotating to ER next month so maybe I’ll meet him,” Josh shrugged and chugged a coke as his pager beeped telling him to call a floor.  His sixth sense knew it was probably this one patient that had been breathing funny recently, and sure enough he was sprinting out of the room, leaving behind all thoughts of Dr. Joseph.


	2. Fools Rush In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Do you believe in love at first sight? Chemistry can't be denied, especially to a scientist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gosh, more fluff. (tw: mention of a past suicide attempt)

Funny enough, Josh’s ER month long rotation coincided directly with Tyler’s two month medicine rotation, so their meeting had to wait a little while longer, but they certainly heard about each other from the other residents.  Their fellow interns—now friends—seemed independently and also united in their goal to get the two doctors to meet.  But it was a comedy of errors that every time Tyler would come to visit the ER during breaks, Josh would either be post-call, or wrapped up in a trauma case.  And when the other medicine residents would get Josh to go out to a bar or come to one of their apartments, Tyler was stuck on-call.

 Josh’s first day back to medicine was a relief and he was happy to be back.  He enjoyed the ED and found it exciting, especially with the cardiac cases, but perhaps  _too_ much excitement.  He was happy to log into the computer system and review charts, while the nurses welcomed him back on the floor.

“We missed you!”

“But you’re no longer our favorite.”

“Oh?” Josh said, sipping his coffee and raising an eyebrow at the nurses.

“Dr. Joseph is. the. nicest. And he’s always so helpful.”

“I guess I have competition then.”

From five thirty to seven AM, Josh visited all the patients assigned to him, wrote orders, and made plans so he’d be ready for rounds with the attending at nine AM.  It felt like getting back on a bicycle, and he wanted to make a good impression for the first day back.  But when he huddled up with all the residents, he was distracted by the only face he didn’t know, and assumed to be the ever-evasive Dr. Joseph.  

 _Oh no, he’s hot_ , was Josh’s first thought as he fumbled with his papers.  The other doctor was standing next to a second year female resident, listening very intently to her explaining…something, and nodding fervently.  But then he looked up and made eye contact with Josh, whose heart was racing.  A grin spread across his face and Josh memorized his adorable crooked teeth and pink lips, as he offered a hand out to Josh. 

“I’m Tyler, you must be Dr. Dun.  I keep hearing a lot about you, but it seems like you’ve been avoiding me,” Tyler kept smiling at him, and Josh was trying to remember how to play it cool.

 I—I—yeah same too.  Josh-Call me Josh,” Please God, let the Earth swallow him up to stop this embarrassment.  The next closest thing to God—the attending—showed up and everyone snapped to attention.  Tyler winked at Josh and the latter was pretty sure he was dead now, and it was very enjoyable _thankyouverymuch_.

* * *

Tyler had done his fair share of internet digging to uncover info on the mysterious doctor with tattoos and ‘the cutest smile’ (quote, another doctor who would rather not be named).  Tyler agreed after looking at some Facebook photos, and the other ER residents said Josh was effective, nice, and cool, during his rotation with them and ‘Tyler, are you seriously thinking of hooking up with him, because I am all for that’ (quote, a bro-y second year).

Tyler was surprised how thrown off Josh seemed to be by him, and the power felt amazing.  Usually Tyler was the awkward one with a crush, embarrassing himself, but for once in his gawky life, he was _smooth._ He was fully aware of Josh’s eyes on him and he made sure to stand next to him for all of rounds.  Then they headed off to a lecture, and he sat right next to Josh.  At lunch again Tyler forced his way into the seat next to his quarry. 

 Josh was able to get his initial nerves under control, and finally carry out a  normal conversation with Tyler over.  Turns out they both were originally from the same area in Ohio, and each talked about their former hobbies.  Josh bemoaned having no time for his drums, and Tyler mentioned he majored in music.

"I’ve never met a doctor that actually went through with that!” Josh exclaimed, “That’s awesome!  What do you play?”

“Piano mainly.  I did go through a ukulele phase.  I studied composition and voice during college,” Tyler took a bite of his sandwich and then added with a cheeky grin, “We should form a band!”

 “But all the instruments should be medical equipment,” Josh smirked.

 “You can play the bedpans, and I’ll make a ukulele out of a suture kit,” Tyler was laughing now, and Josh couldn’t help but join in.  “Drop some sick beats from the telemetry monitors,” Tyler grasped an invisible microphone saying in a deep voice “‘Hey Madison Square Garden!  Are you ready to rock? This song is called ‘I’m Allergic to Tylenol, So I Can Only Take Percocet’.”

 The next few weeks passed like that.  Of course they were very busy working and trying to get some sleep around studying and eating, but whenever they were able to be together…they were.  Sometimes sending texts late at night when the other was on call, and commiserating about how miserable (but happy) they were.  The first code blue they ran together worked without an issue—each other responding to half a word, or suggestion, moving fluidly. 

 “Dude, that was sick!” Tyler said, high fiving and then hugging Josh in the conference room afterward. 

“Dream team,” Josh smiled, his heart racing.  He really wanted to kiss Tyler, but also didn’t want to ruin whatever they had going between the two of them.  He wondered if Tyler felt that there was something more there than just a companion.  An awkward pause as Tyler very clearly stared at Josh’s lips, debating.  But then another resident burst into the room, and started shouting about something going wrong with one of her patients so the moment was lost.

* * *

It was Tyler’s last full week on medicine, and he wouldn’t be back until next year.  He was also going on his month long scheduled vacation, and his plans were to just go straight home to Columbus.  Josh was quite jealous, because his break was still two months away.  Somehow the night shift was going to be covered by all senior residents and all the first year residents would not have to work for a whole day...at the same time.  Immediately, plans were made to go out to a bar near the hospital as soon as the shift was over and drink until they slept through the next day completely.

Josh breathed a sigh of relief when Tyler gave an enthusiastic “Hell yes” to going out that night.  He was afraid that Tyler was going to ditch them for sleep or the ER residents. 

“I’m going to be working and spending nearly every working moment with them for years,” Tyler explained, “I need to spend time ‘networking’ with you upstairs folk.”

Their tolerance was completely shot, and a round of shots and two beers had most of them giggly and hanging on each other.  Music was thumping and the girls were dragging everyone onto the dance floor.  Josh swayed awkwardly, and Tyler displayed all his “really sick dance moves.  Look how cool I am!”

Another round of beer to everyone, and Josh and Tyler were forced to dance together by a group of female residents.  Clutching around Tyler’s neck, Josh was fighting the blush spreading across his cheeks as Tyler placed firm hands on his waist.  He was pretty sure Tyler purposefully steered them further into the crowd to escape their coworkers.

“To be honest, I’m going to miss being on this rotation,” Tyler said in Josh’s ear, “Your team is very fun.”

“You get to go home though, I’m jealous of you!”

 "Are you going to miss me?” Tyler met Josh’s eyes, and there was no smile upon his face.  Josh felt like he was being examined, and he briefly wondered where this conversation was headed.  Before he could even respond, Tyler added, “I’m really going to miss you.  You’re really—”

Maybe it was the alcohol, or the pull between them, but Josh didn’t let Tyler finish that sentence, cutting him off by pressing their lips together and sliding a hand into Tyler’s short hair.  The latter immediately responded by pulling Josh closer and sliding one hand to the back of his neck.  After a few heartbeats, they broke apart, eyes wide with surprise and relief.  And then they crashed back together, mouths opening up and tongues exploring. 

 Gasping for air, Tyler surfaced first, saying “yes, yes finally.  I’m so happy right now—mmph,” and Josh really couldn’t stop kissing him.  They were finally dragged apart by the other doctors who were definitely whooping at catching them. 

 He was vaguely aware of even more residents showing up--recognizing some orthopods. It also seemed that other people had paired up, as if this bar outing was the culmination and breaking of tension that had been brewing between attracted individuals.  Even from the tight knot of people he was standing in (Tyler's fingers brushing across his chest as he reached out to high five someone, lingering on his hip as a body pushing past shoved Josh into him) Josh could see several friends making out enthusiastically.  He ran his teeth across his own swollen lips, his mind slow with exhaustion and alcohol, trying to devise ways to separate Tyler from the others.

 Josh was caught up in his own thoughts until Tyler interrupted them "I think I am tired and I want to go to bed," he said pointedly.  It took a moment for Josh's fuzzy brain to catch up with what Tyler was implying.

 "Oh. Oh yeah. I guess I am too," he could feel the eye rolls of several friends standing near them, including Tyler himself, "let me walk you home."

 Tyler grabbed Josh's hand and dragged him through the crowd of moving sweaty bodies. Reaching the cold, fresh air of the night, they paused for a moment, Tyler's thumb rubbing circles into Josh's palm.

 "My apartment is this way," he indicated behind his shoulder, "about fifteen minutes' walk."

 Josh nodded and they began to walk in silence. Tyler was feeling anxious, not really sure what was going to happen next. Well, he knew but it'd been awhile since he'd been with anyone. There'd been a radiologist he'd been hooking up with on a semi-regular basis during his last year of med school, up until he left for residency.  There were barely any feelings there, and if he was honest to himself, he hadn't felt this way about anyone else before. If Tyler thought about it, he didn't want to just be a one-time thing, or friends with benefits with Josh. He really, really liked him, and Tyler chanced a glance to his side, watching Josh look up at the stars.

 "I think when it's my vacation month, I'm going to dye my hair red," Josh said after awhile.

 "Why? I like what you've got going on," Tyler waved his hand vaguely at the dark messy somewhat curls (worsened no doubt by his own fingers running through them as they kissed- _oh my God, did Josh seriously kiss him today? Is Tyler dreaming?_ ).

 "I always had it dyed in high school and college. I miss looking unprofessional."

 "Can I see your tattoos?" Tyler asked boldly.

 Josh pulled on his shirt sleeve, rolling it up as far as it could go and revealing the artwork. "I've got a full sleeve, but I got to take my shirt off for you to see it all--"

 "Is that a promise?" Tyler winked flirtatiously.

 "I'll show you mine, if you show me yours."

 "You are so corny," Tyler laughed and pulled him in for a quick kiss. "Aaand, this is my place. My roommates might be sleeping. Or they may be out. They're pharmacists so they have a better social life than me. I never know what weird things they will be doing when I get back. One time I came back and there were twenty people sitting in our living room wearing goggles and playing kazoos. I've stopped asking about their drug use because they just start giggling. They're really nice though and always stay quiet when I'm sleeping. Or maybe I just sleep heavy postcall--" Tyler was fully aware he was babbling but Josh was doing that smiling thing where his eyes went squinty so Tyler was overwhelmed, okay?

The apartment was completely dark and silent when Tyler and Josh came through the door and Josh immediately grabbed him, mouthing at Tyler's neck.

 "Hold up, hold up. My room is this way," they didn't bother turning on any lights as they felt their way blindly, Josh taking the time to touch Tyler's butt several times 'accidentally'.

 Once inside his bedroom, Tyler pushed Josh up against the door and they returned to the furious kissing and grinding left off at the club.

 Tyler pulled away first. "Bed?" He asked

 "Bed," Josh agreed and let himself be guided and tossed down upon the covers.

Tyler straddled him, and Josh tugged on the hem of his shirt. Tyler allowed him to lift it off, and Josh drank in his tattoos, lifting a finger to trace the squares on the left side of his chest, then splaying a hand over them.

 "C'mon, I showed you mine. Take your shirt off."  Josh got a little lost in the sleeves of his shirt and Tyler didn't help much by forcefully tugging. Finally they managed to get it off and Tyler ducked his head to suck a bruise into Josh's collar bone, just underneath where his scrubs would cover. Josh let out a noise that he was a little embarrassed of, and Tyler looked mischievously up at him through his thick eyelashes.

 Next thing Josh knew, he was being manhandled and both of them were stripped down to their boxers. He was hard and so was Tyler if the pressure on his hip was enough of a hint and his head felt like it was spinning. Having a weird out-of-body moment from the sleep deprivation and alcohol, it almost didn't feel real when Tyler settled between his thighs and began to slide their dicks against each other.  Noises were drawn out of both exhausted men, who were so used to working nonstop that these moments of pleasure felt unreal.  For the first time in months, their minds were not distracted by preparing and stressing about work.  It was just the two of them, and Josh could feel the beginnings of an orgasm already, endurance ruined by so much time spent untouched by another person.

 Tyler reached down between them, sliding underneath Josh’s waistband and began to jack him slowly.  Josh rolled his hips up in response.

 “I really want to suck you off, is that okay?” Tyler whispered into Josh’s ear, and the latter could have came right there, but by some miracle (imaging a stage four pressure ulcer) he held back and nodded.

 Tyler leaned over him to turn on a lamp and began to dig around in the top drawer of his bedside table. Josh appreciated the view of his ass, palming a handful.  Tyler snickered and then let out a little "aha!" when he pulled out a roll of condoms.

 "Whoa," Josh said at the sheer amount. "You're not planning on using all of them tonight, right?"

 Tyler let out a laugh that Josh felt shiver through both of their bodies.

 "The peril of sleeping with an ER doctor. I've done way too many STD genital exams to ever have unprotected sex again."

 Josh shuddered, "you don't need to convince me dude."

 And then Tyler was slithering down his body and Josh was pretty sure his heart was racing so fast that he was in SVT.  He propped himself up on his elbows, moving pillows behind his back to watch.  Tyler hooked skilled fingers into the waistband, and pulled Josh's boxers off.  Josh kicked them the rest of the way off, nearly punting Tyler off the bed in the process. "Jeez, already getting rough?" Tyler giggled.  Pressing a kiss to the inside of Josh's thigh, Tyler rolled the condom on and wrapped his lips around Josh's dick.

 This was definitely one of the best, maybe even the absolute best blow job Josh had ever received. Josh twisted his hands in the sheets as he fought the urge to just throw his head back and let Tyler suck him dry. Josh really wanted to remember every second of this. Tyler had excellent timing and technique and drew out some uncontrolled noises from him. He had his fingers marking Josh's right hip, just the right side of good pain. His other hand was working the base, and Josh stuttered that he was close, and as if taking a cue, Tyler deep-throated as much as he could handle. Tyler's eyes, hooded and dark and wet from the effort, stared up at Josh, and he tipped over the edge.

 "Fuck!" Josh said without thinking, and his vision whited-out for a few moments as he spilled into the condom. Tyler worked him through, until it was to the point of being too sensitive. He switched to sucking bruises into Josh's thighs, and slid a hand down to start jerking himself off.

 Josh came back to his senses, and realizing what the moans Tyler was making meant, he tapped him on the shoulder. Tyler looked at him with blown pupils and Josh could see he was very close.

 "Come up here."

 Tyler followed immediately, sliding back up to push their lips together. Josh could feel how puffy they were, and he bit down on Tyler's full lower lip. Tyler let out a moan, still touching himself, and Josh knocked his hands out of the way.

 "Let me," he said and shoved Tyler's underwear down. He licked his palm and set to pumping Tyler, throwing in a twist to the wrist every few strokes and pulling every trick that's ever worked with himself and the guys he's been with.

 Tyler groaned into Josh's mouth and mumbled between the noises, "shit, Josh you're amazing. God, I wanted to kiss you ever since we first saw each other and you blushed...ugh and I want to see you on your knees and I want to fuck--yOU. shit. You're so beautiful."  His voice jumped an octave at Josh's thumb rubbed over the head.

 "Come for me Tyler. Wanna see you."

 Tyler bit down on the same spot on Josh's collarbone, then cried out as he spilled over Josh's fingers. It was the most beautiful thing Josh had seen; to watch Tyler fall apart and shake against him.

 They lay exhausted in each other's arms, sweat cooling. Josh could feel each one of Tyler's handprints on his body, and the bruises on his thighs, hip, and clavicle were aching deliciously.

 "Should probably clean off a little," Tyler's voice sounded wrecked. He extricated himself with some difficulty since Josh had wrapped his limbs around him. Hitching his boxers back up, Tyler left the room and Josh could hear the running of water in the bathroom as Tyler presumably washed the cum off himself.  A wet washcloth flew at him, which Josh caught and wiped himself off. A few minutes later the fridge door opened and closed.

 Josh stared at the ceiling after slipping under the covers. He felt boneless and satisfied. Truth be told he'd been fantasizing about having Tyler's lips on him and finally it had happened.

 Tyler crawled under the blankets with him, kissing Josh on the nose and handing a water bottle to him.

 "Gotta stay hydrated."

 "Thanks, bro."

 "No problem, dude."  Tyler slid back on top of him, and began to look at Josh's arm. "This is amazing. I love it."  He stroked the inside of Josh's arm, making him shiver.  "Ticklish?"

 "A bit."

 "You've got amazing veins," Tyler said, tracing his cephalic vein and pressing down upon it.

 "That's what the nurses keep telling me. When we learned IV placement in school, I was everyone's favorite to practice on. They paid me in study guides and baked goods," Josh grinned.

 He wrapped his hand around Tyler's tattooed wrist and pulled it closer, immediately noticing the old scar that ran the length of his anterior forearm.  Tyler's eyes flickered between the concerned gaze Josh was giving it and to the door, half expecting Josh to leave (that had happened to him before).

 "That's from...well.." Tyler said awkwardly after a few moments, his voice trailing off.

 "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Josh said.

 "No that's okay. I want to tell you. I was very depressed during high school and I tried...ending it when I was sixteen," Tyler whispered. He knew some of the other residents had guessed about it, whispering privately, when they saw his scar earlier in the year but he'd never told anyone at the hospital about it.  Josh had never even seen him with short sleeves before this night so it was all new information to him.

 "I hemorrhaged so much that I arrested in the ED and was without a pulse for twenty minutes. They almost pronounced me dead, but the doctor refused to call it, so here I am now."

 Josh stroked the inside of his wrist, tracing the tattoo there, "I'm glad you're here."

 "Me too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm using this story to procrastinate writing an actual paper, but I just made great progress so you're all reaping the benefits! (BLOWJOBS!)   
> This is the first smut I've written in this decade, I think, so it's definitely been awhile.  
> Find me on Tumblr! Shivermepickles or teeentyonepilots (my top sideblog)


	3. Dreamer's Sleep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What was meant to be, was.

They fell asleep wrapped around each other and didn't wake up until noon the next day.  Tyler lent Josh a toothbrush and offered to make him breakfast. They kissed with Tyler leaning against the kitchen counter, and Josh dropped to his knees to return the blowjob. Tyler was right—Josh looked very pretty on his knees, and made lovely hums as Tyler tugged at the curly messy hair.

 Thankfully they were not in a compromising position as Tyler's roommates walked in right afterward and introduced themselves to Josh.  Tyler thought their covert winks and eyebrow wiggling was anything but surreptitious. He didn't really want to hang around the apartment with the blatant comments, so he suggested a brunch place around the corner, and Josh followed.

 It was a nice...date? Tyler judgegd, and he was happy by how easy things seemed to go around Josh. How it always had during the past month.  Regretfully, he could not spend the whole day with him, because Tyler was flying to Columbus the next day and Josh had to catch up on laundry and grocery shopping.  So they said goodbye, a quick peck on the lips, and departed.

* * *

Tyler was so happy to be home. Catching up with friends, hanging out with his brothers and sister, having his mom and aunts and grandma feed him because "you look way too thin. How can you take care of anyone if it looks like a gust of wind is going to knock you down?"

He slept a lot, played his piano and actually wrote a song for the first time in years. It was definitely 100% about Josh, though he'd never actually show him. They hooked up only once and here Tyler is, all sappy and ready to propose marriage.

That's not to say Josh was ignoring him after that night. In fact, Josh texted him every day, sending short stories about what was going on with the patients he'd gotten to know during the medicine rotation, and also all the latest gossip (there was a lot now after pretty much everyone hooked up with someone at the bar).

Second week of vacation, Tyler got a call early in the morning from Josh. "Hullo?"

"Oh! Sorry! You must be sleeping. Sorry... I'm just really excited," prattled Josh.

"’Bout what?" Tyler rubbed his eyes.

"I've been accepted to a conference this weekend, and the hospital just approved for me to go! It's in Columbus!"

"What? You're coming to Columbus?"

"I know it is very last minute, and I understand if you're busy with your family, but do you want to hang out one night? I think I'll actually only be free Saturday."

"Of course!" Tyler thought a moment once his brain woke up fully, "crap, I forgot I promised my friend Mark I'd go to an event.  He's a photographer and has a gallery show on Saturday and then drinks after. Unless you want to come?"

"Yeah that sounds cool. If it's no bother for me to go?"

"Are you kidding me? Of course they'd be happy to have you. Mark is always going on about 'spreading his art to new minds' so I think he'd be thrilled."

Josh laughed and Tyler realized how much he missed hearing it. He could also hear the telltale beep of a pager. And Josh muttered "crap, gotta take this. See you Saturday."

The call ended and Tyler felt like dancing. Now he was awake, he slipped down to the basement and started playing a new song with bright chords.

* * *

Josh felt like he was floating for the rest of the week. First of all he was so pumped to go to a conference, especially in his favorite field. Though it meant he had to write up something about everything he learned, it was worth it to leave this city for a bit. He planned to see his family on Friday after arriving, since he really did miss them. But he was mainly nervous and excited to see Tyler on Saturday night.

Mark was thrilled that Tyler was bringing Josh, and he cuffed him on the arm. "You didn't tell me you had a bae."  They were at Tyler's house, sitting in the living room.

"Jesus, Mark, I will pay you actual money to never hear the word 'bae' again," Tyler groaned, "and for the record we're not anything official. We--"

"No, I can't eavesdrop on this anymore," shouted his sister from another room, "let's rewind. He called you as soon as he found out he was coming here. Maybe even before he told his own family. He's spending a whole night with you and your friends, instead of visiting his friends. Pretty sure he like-likes you."

"The girl is very wise," said Mark, grabbing a handful of chips from the open bag between them.

"Of course I am!" shouted Maddy.

"Shut up and let's play Smash," Tyler said grumpily, but not really.

* * *

"Gotta date?" asked the Uber driver on Saturday night as Josh bounced his leg and adjusted his collar on the ride to the gallery.

"Sort of," he replied, "I kind of work with this person in another city and I'm meeting all their friends and we kinda left everything up in the air."

"Go for it," said the driver.

"You think?"

"Definitely. I just went through this awkward semi-breakup and if we were clear with our intentions, we'd probably still be together. Communication. That's the key to a good relationship!"

"Yeah, thanks." Josh said, making sure to give him a great tip.

Tyler was anxious too, but he was playing it cool. It was nice to see his old crowd of friends and Mark was in his element. There was so much he missed out on as he was off pursuing his dream. He was recounting a story to some high school friends about an encounter with a pregnant patient that ended with him hiding behind a desk as an intoxicated boyfriend threw everything not nailed down at him for essentially explaining that it wasn't his baby.

"How was I supposed to know he was in jail for the month she'd gotten pregnant?!" He revealed as his friends howled with laughter.

"So there I am, shielding myself, shouting with my very intimidating voice 'please sir, can you calm down?' as a tray full of scissors flies past my face," Tyler's voice jumped an octave or two in imitation.

And then he saw Josh standing in the doorway and he lost the train of the story. Oh God, Josh was wearing a short sleeved shirt and Tyler could see his tattoo in full light.

"Wait so what happened next?" One of the people standing by asked, wiping a tear of laughter from their eyes.

"Oh--uh, right. Well the cops came and arrested him and I had to give her a pelvic exam. So everyone lost."  Tyler was watching Josh scan the room, and oh no… Mark was making a beeline to him.

"Excuse me a moment, my friend is here," and Tyler rushed to beat Mark to Josh, but alas Mark got there first. How did Mark even know what Josh looked like?  Unless he found his Facebook or something.

"Tyler!" exclaimed Mark as Tyler nearly shoved an older neighbor out of the way, "You've gotta introduce me to your dude friend." 

Curses, his other friends had followed him too, and they were all looking curiously at Josh.

"Uh, yeah well this is Josh. He's a doctor at the hospital I'm at and he's here for a conference and he's--"

"I'm his boyfriend," Josh stated firmly.

Josh wish he could have taped that moment so he could watch Tyler's face light up again and again, and several people choke on their drinks.  The first man that had approached him as soon as he'd arrived looked absolutely gleeful, and he grabbed Josh's hand.

"I'm Mark. The star of the evening. It's awesome to meet you."

Tyler had always been embarrassed reach this age without ever really having an actual boyfriend, just hookups and failed crushes. All his friends there knew it and that’s why they were so flabbergasted. So they started cornering Josh and asking him a million questions. Turns out they did have a mutual friend, Chris, who was there that night and Tyler never saw him so excited. He was pretty sure the 'pat' on the back was going to leave a mark, and Josh winced too.

"This marching band geek right here used to work at a Guitar Center with me during summer breaks from college. He's a great drummer," Chris said proudly.

"So I've heard," Tyler replied, "once he auditions for me, we're going to form a hospital band."

"How'd you two meet?" asked a girl Tyler was pretty sure he dated for a month in high school when he thought he might be straight.

"Well," Josh glanced at Tyler.

"We were in this big lecture hall and there was a guest speaker talking about pancreaticoduodenectomy when all of a sudden, the speaker started choking on a mint," Tyler said.

"Yeah and the room was full of doctors but everyone was frozen. They'd all forgotten what to do!" continued Josh, "and the poor guy is turning blue. So I jump out of my seat and run down the stairs—nearly falling and breaking my neck. I get to him, but there was already someone there—Tyler."

"And I'm giving this guy the Heimlich maneuver, but I'm not that tall, and he's massive. Like seven feet! So Josh is like 'wait, get on my back!' And so I did, and pfft—out comes the mint and we saved his life. So they gave us each a medal, and I was like—"

"Hey we make a great team. Do you wanna go on a date?"

"And that's how we met," Tyler finished as Josh slid his hand into Tyler's.

* * *

"I had fun tonight," Josh said in front of his hotel later that night.  They had gone out for drinks with Tyler’s old crowd and it was nearly midnight now, "your friends are great."

"I think they liked you."

"Well, what's there not to love? I guess I'm pretty cool?" Josh was smiling wide again, the orange from the street lamp bathing them in light.

"I dunno. I may need some convincing," Tyler put on a mock-thinking face as Josh pulled him closer and Tyler opened his mouth to him.

"How about you come up to my hotel room and I'll convince you some more?" Josh said, his voice deep with want.

"Dr. Dun, what kind of boy do you take me for?" Tyler fluttered his lashes at him.

"Uh this is a little awkward non sequitur, but I went to a clinic this week and got tested. And I'm clean—here—" Josh slid a piece of paper from his back pocket and Tyler began to laugh.

"No way," and Tyler pulled a matching paper from his own wallet.

"Great minds and all...come on. I've got a room all to myself and an early morning tomorrow."

"Why do you have a hotel room?" Tyler asked when they were alone in the elevator, "Why didn't you just stay at home?"

Josh shrugged, "less travel time in from the suburbs. And the perks of not having my mom in the next room over."

"Great point," Tyler muttered as the elevator dinged and the doors opened.

* * *

"God, I missed you," Josh groaned against Tyler's skin later.

"It's only been two weeks, Jishwa," Tyler slid a hand down to cup Josh's ass.

"Is that your nickname for me?"

"Yes. You better like it."

"I do—ah," Josh gasped as Tyler’s hand slipped lower, a finger circling his entrance.

"Is this okay? Can I-i-"

"What do you want, Tyler?" Josh said, palming Tyler's erection and handing the lube to him.

"I wanna—I  wanna be inside you," Tyler began coating his fingers, "Jesus, when I saw you walk in tonight, looking like that, I just wanted to bend you over and make you forget your name.”

"Jesus, Tyler I didn't know you were capable of talking like that—oh crap!" Josh cried out as Tyler's finger breached him.

Tyler stroked inside of him, teasing the edge of his prostate. Adding another finger once Josh started grinding down on the first, Tyler scissored his fingers and twisted his wrist.

"C'mon, c'mon," Josh kept muttering. Tyler was almost overly attentive, stroking and kissing, licking along Josh's cock, maneuvering a pillow underneath his hips

"Shh, babe, gotta get you ready," Tyler added a third finger and finally pressed against Josh's prostate. Josh yelled out and would've came if Tyler hadn't quickly gripped him at the base.

Tyler rubbed the spot again and Josh moaned loudly and Tyler worked to bringing him close to the edge.

"Shit, shit. Wait—I want you inside me, c'mon Tyler. I'm ready," Josh poured lube into his own hands and began to cover Tyler’s cock.

Tyler lifted Josh's leg towards his shoulder and lined up. He took a moment to memorize this moment; Josh lying completely open beneath him, metaphorically and literally. His head was thrown back as Tyler ran a finger across a nipple. He looked so beautiful in that moment and Tyler never wanted to forget it.

As Tyler began to enter him, Josh forgot how to breathe. The stretch was almost too much and he focused instead upon Tyler's face. His eyes were fixated on where they were joined, and Josh could see a muscle jumping in his neck.  He was so beautiful.

When Tyler was all the way in, he bent to kiss Josh. "You okay, Jishwa?"

Josh nodded, "move…please."

Tyler started thrusting slowly, watching Josh's reactions to each new angle. The sighs and gasps turned into moans as Tyler found the right place.

"There...right there," Josh moaned, "stop teasing me and fuck me already."

"Whoa, language," Tyler responded with a hard thrust and Josh's back arched as his prostate was hit. Tyler set up a steady rhythm and all coherence was lost between the two.

Josh was a sweaty mess of curses and Tyler let out a stream of soft moans.

"Close…close," Josh was barely aware of what he was saying aloud, Tyler was pumping him in counterpoint to the thrusts.

"It's okay, Jishwa. Come for me," and Josh was gone. His whole body tightening and he came silently. Tyler followed soon after and screamed his climax.

Gasping for air, they knew that they were lost to each other forever.

* * *

Josh walked with a hitch in his step the next day at the conference and his mind kept wandering to the night before, but it was so worth it.

The next weeks were amazing, and they turned into great months. Life wasn't perfect and it still sucked being a first year resident.   Tears were shed, lots of sleep was lost. It's hard to begin a relationship when both of you were married to your jobs at the same time. When it's the person you're supposed to be with, you make it work. And so even the days and nights when all they could do was sleep until the alarm went off again, being next to each other is enough.

But July came, and they were second years now. Still busy, but it was better. They looked forward to the months they were on each other's rotations--working seamlessly, happy to see each other more. And their vacations coincided; so they dyed Josh's hair blue this time and went on a trip to Australia.

That's where Josh asked Tyler to move into a nice little apartment with him, as they looked out into the harbor, and Tyler swore he saw the stars in Josh's eyes.

Third year meant Josh was the senior resident, and Tyler had to go to other hospitals and clinics for experience. Emergency residency is a year longer than medicine residency, so Josh was looking for a cardiology fellowship, anywhere (though he spent all his prayers and plans meant he'd stay at this hospital with Tyler).

Impressed by Josh's clinical research and glowing reviews, it was a surprise to no one that he was offered a three year fellowship position right on their two year anniversary. But that only guaranteed one more year of Tyler being at that hospital. He wasn't planning on a fellowship, deciding to just be an attending at whatever ED would take him.

He often talked about a new start, or returning home to Columbus. Josh felt it would be selfish to force him to stay. Tyler should be allowed to grow wherever he wanted to go and Josh was willing to make anything work for him.

* * *

Their third anniversary found them both in California. Josh was presenting at another conference, and Tyler had an interview with a major hospital that seemed very interested in him.

"You did great, Jishwa" Tyler kissed him on the cheek after Josh finished his presentation on a case study, "Now take me out to a fancy dinner."

"Trophy boyfriend," Josh teased.

"Not for much longer, I've got exciting news to tell you later," and Josh's heart plummeted. Tyler must've gotten the job and he was so, so proud of him but Josh didn't want him to go.

"Josh you're barely eating, what's up?" Tyler said later at Taco Bell, still dressed in their fancy business clothes.

"Nothing...So what's the big news?"

"Well..." Tyler took a bite and chewed thoughtfully, "have you ever thought of how contradictory that you're a cardiologist and here we are, eating fast food?"

"Huh?"

"Sorry, got distracted," Tyler shook his head, "So the hospital today offered me a position. A really good position. One you can't really turn down."

"Babe, that's excellent! I'm so proud of you. And you know what...we'll make it work," Josh said in a rush, "In two years, I'll be done with my fellowship so I can come out here afterward. All the people I've talked with about long distance relationships say it is better when you know you have an end date—"

"But I said no. Because I got a call from a different hospital a few days ago. Offering even more money and the best perk of all—you."

Josh tilted his head, confused.

"It's been so hard hiding it from you, but I'm staying at our hospital."

"Are you serious??" Josh shouted and everyone in Taco Bell stared at them.

"Of course, I figured might as well stay with them since I had this great thing going with a cardiologist who only yelled at me on occasion when I gurney-surfed"

"Tyler, you were on top of a patient. How was I to feel that you were straddling another man?" Josh was laughing hysterically now, and Tyler had never seen him in this state.

"I love you so damn much," Josh pulled him in for a kiss and Tyler didn't need to tell him how much he did too.

* * *

Both residencies over, and they established a life that was semi-normal. Much better hours, more money (finally starting to make progress with paying off their student debt), and 100% less bitchwork. They were able to visit their families more, present for all the major life events; graduations, weddings, babies, etc. They even took time to see the world in between their professional and familial obligations.

Five years together and everyone was asking when they'd finally tie the knot.   It was the fourth of July, and they were back in Columbus when Josh asked if Tyler wanted to walk in the park not far from his childhood home, and Tyler agreed enthusiastically.

"Why do you seem so nervous?" Tyler asked him.

"I'm not nervous. What gives you that idea?" Josh bounced his leg. They were sitting on a park bench and Josh kept checking his phone.

"Let's go stand by the pond," Tyler pointed and pulled him along.

They watched the ducks for a moment and as Tyler turned, his mouth opening to say something, Josh got up the nerve to drop to a knee.

"Meeting you has been the greatest thing to ever happen to me and I couldn’t imagine being apart from you. So Tyler Robert Joseph, will you do me the honor of marrying me?"  And Josh pulled out a ring.

Tyler looked flabbergasted, and that was Josh's favorite of Mark's photos.

"Wait, seriously?" Tyler said after a few moments speechless moments where he struggled to speak.

"Uh...yeah?"

"Josh this is amazing, but can you hold on a moment?" And without waiting for a response, Tyler dashed away.

"Is that a no?" Josh shouted after him, and turned to look at where he'd told Mark to hide and take pictures. Mark was howling with laughter.

Tyler reappeared holding--of all things--a ukulele.

 "Stand up," he said and Josh did. Then Tyler dropped to a knee and began to sing the song he started writing for Josh all those years ago " _we don't believe what's on tv, because it's what we want to see…_ "

Josh threw his head back and laughed and it was Tyler's favorite photograph, after he stopped pretending to be mad that Mark knew they both planned to propose in the same place on the same day and had both told him to take pictures.

In fact, their whole families both knew since they were traditional guys and asked each other's fathers permission first. So everyone they loved was at Tyler's house when they returned an hour later. A party had broken out and neither of them could believe it was possible to be this happy.

And as everyone drifted off to their cars and beds that night, the two of them lay out under the stars. The ukulele was back in Tyler's hands and he strummed a simple tune. Josh's eyes drifting shut as Tyler sang " _wise men say...only fools rush in. But I can't help...falling in love with you..._ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all folks! But actually not...there will be more to this universe, and please send me headcanons and prompts on tumblr (shivermepickles and/or teeentyonepilots).

**Author's Note:**

> So I wrote all of this in two days, most of which on an airplane, but I'm going to be posting it over the next few days. Guys, I'm like really mad that I wrote smut on an airplane, but it was worth it.
> 
> I've got so many ideas in this universe, so there's more to come in the future. I guess working in a hospital myself has given me endless amounts of writing material.
> 
> As always: I am shivermepickles on tumblr, and my twenty one pilots themed blog is teeentyonepilots. Say hey!


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